I have had leg pain for a number of years. My movement disorder specialist has insisted that this is not a symptom of Parkinson's. In any case, I had my general practitioner put me on gabapentin to see if that would help with the pain. It actually helped for a short time, but then it stopped working- quite disappointing. In any case, since it was no longer working I have been titrating down and I recently stopped taking it all together. Surprisingly, I have noticed that along with my stopping the Gabapentin, my Tremor and other Parkinson's symptoms seem to have gotten worse. I understand that Gabapentin works on dopamine in the brain. Is it possible that the Gabapentin was helping me with some of my Parkinson's symptoms? Have any of you noticed a correlation between the use of gabapentin and the relief of Parkinson's symptoms? I know it is not indicated for this use, but correlation seems quite curious. Any and all stories regarding gabapentin and Parkinson's are appreciated!
Gabapentin and Parkinson's : I have had leg... - Cure Parkinson's
Gabapentin and Parkinson's
Didn't do anything for me except cause a significant weight gain. My GP wanted to increase the dose but I decided against.
I'll be interested to see any replies to your post, Parkieperson because I've got an appointment with a neuropsychiatrist in a couple of weeks, and I was hoping to be prescribed Gabapentin (or Pregabalin) for anxiety.
If you experience anxiety at all, did the Gabapentin help with that?
I've read (somewhere!) that Gabapentinoids can ease PD symptoms so it's interesting to hear it helped with yours.
As anxiety itself can exacerbate PD symptoms - perhaps one reason it works is because it reduces anxiety?
Please let us know if you try it and it helps with your anxiety. I just restarted Gabapentin because I couldn't take it anymore and already I feel better again- and I'm not talking about my leg pain, I'm talking about my mood.
I will do 
Hi ParkiePerson,
I said I'd update you on my experience: I was prescribed Pregabalin. I actually pushed for Gabapentin but the neuropsychiatrist said that Pregabalin was the best option (she didn't explain why).
Anyway, it wasn't what I'd hoped for. I took it for almost a week but felt horrible - nauseous, light-headed and really tired. It didn't help with anxiety at all. Maybe I didn't give it long enough but I couldn't carry on with it.
I've just been reading about Mirtazipine. Apparently it can help with both anxiety and PD tremors so that might be my next request!
I hope you're still doing well on the Gabapentin.
I have been prescribed Gabapentin by my Neurologist for my restless legs at night. I only take it when I can't sleep due to that.... It does help. And I do believe it helps my aching muscles that are more noticeable at night. I was told that I can take up to 300mg if needed. I. usually on take 200mg. I am not sure the "how" behind it, but it seems to help. I never take it during the day because it seems to make me more tired.
Be careful with Gapapentin. It has dopamine inhibitory effects. Might try a TENs unit or another approved device to help with leg cramps, dystonia like this unit:
I am on Gabapentin for Parkinson’s pain. I can’t move without the Gabapentin. The pain, tingling and numbness is what I was most concerned about when I first went to my Neurologist. I know these symptoms are generally discussed as neuropathy but they were extremely irritating. The gabapentin took care of those for sure. I had only a short time with only carbadopa/levodopa. I know without the Gabapentin I would be extremely uncomfortable with pain, tingling and numbness. For me 10 years ago, the c/l only took care of the tremor.
See this study, it's a bit dated, but science is science: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/920....
On a personal note I take some of my wife's gabapentin for insomnia and it works wonders. She takes if for restless leg and hot flashes and it works for her for those things with no side effects. We both take it at night so the drowsiness side effect is not a problem
Interesting! So there is evidence that Gabapentin helps with Parkinson's symptoms. Doesn't seem like anybody knows about that!
have you tried PEA
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articl...
No I haven't. I haven't even heard of it. I read the article and it looks very promising. The Gabapentin and low dose Naltrexone are working for me now, so I probably won't try anything new unless these stop working. Are you on PEA?
My husband has been taking it for a year or so and has a long period feeling good but who know what has helped. But he is going through a bad patch at the moment for the last month with lots of stressful things happening so who know what works!
leg tiredness , pain, cramping of muscles can all be from low dopamine
And yet it's amazing that my movement disorder specialist claims that leg pain is not a symptom of Parkinson's!
It's been my experience that pretty much EVERYTHING can be traced back to the Parkinsons. I tried Gabapentin for relief from agonizing sciatica pain. It didn't help at all with the pain, so I stopped taking it.
My husband is on Gabapentin and it helps to balance his Madopar so that he doesn't get drug induced restless legs (very marked after he had just taken each dose) Everyone's Parkinson's is so individual that it is not possible to recommend, but there is evidence that actually a GABA deficit can precede the classic dopamine decline.
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articl...
Dopamine and gaba neurons are supposed to work together to balance response (along with various other neurons of course) so Parkinsons is a multifactorial disease. Standard medication does not take this into account and because everyone is so different trial and error is the only option. If they would only put as much research into Parkinsons as they do into cancer, and obesity we might begin to get somewhere!
Stress and Parkinson's
Tornado and Parkinson's
Fibormyalgia or Parkinson's?
Knee replacement and Parkinson's 
LDN - Low Dose Naltrexone (Parkinson's)
